Hair extracting device



Oct. 13, 1964 M. M. COHEN HAIR EXTRACTING DEVICE Filed June 28, 1962 n mm mm m K mm N mm m E x K fl M INVENTOR.

MAURICE M. COHEN M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,152,593 HAIR EXTRACTIN G DEVICE Maurice M. Cohen, 3594 Shannon Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Filed June 28, 1962, Ser. No. 205,985 Claims. (Cl. 128355) This invention relates generally to hair extracting devices, but has reference more particularly to a device of this character which may be used as an attachment for a motor-driven machine or the like.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which, in essence, is an improvement over devices such, for example, as shown in Fichter Patent 2,497,719.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described in which improved means are provided for completely sealing the enclosed mechanism against entry of dust or foreign matter, while enabling the rotating parts to run at high speed and without becoming heated or worn or requiring any kind of lubrication.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, wherein certain of the parts are of such construction and so arranged as to enable the wear of these parts to be uniformly distributed over their entire areas.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described, which consists of a minimum number of easily assembled parts of relatively simple construction, and which can be manufactured, assembled and sold at low cost.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional View of the device;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view, taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device will be seen to comprise a bearing 1, preferably made of Teflon, to which a housing 2 is secured, as by a press-fit, the housing being preferably made of an aluminum-alloy tubing.

The bearing 1 also has secured thereto, as by a pressfit, a handle 3, which is preferably made of brass. The bearing 1 is provided with an annular flange 4 which serves as an abutment for spacing the housing 2 from the handle 3.

Threadedly secured within the forward portion of the housing 2 is an assembly or unit which consists of a bearing or cam member 5, also made of Teflon, and having a flat cam surface 6 at its rear end which is inclined to the axis of the cam member 5, a plucker tube 7 of stainless steel, which is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in an axial bore 8 of the member 5, a brass collar 9 which is press-fitted to the tube 7 forwardly of the member 5, a steel bearing washer 10 loosely fitted on the tube 7 rearwardly of the cam surface 6, a follower holder 11 of steel which is press-fitted to the rear end of the tube 7, land a follower in the form of a bearing ball 12. which is mounted in a shallow spherical recess 13 of the holder 11.

Journalled for rotation in the bearing 1 is a shaft or rod 14, which extends through the tube 7, and has rigidly secured to its forward end a tweezer head 15, having a radial face 16 which coacts with the forward end 17 of 3,152,593 Patented Oct. 13, 1964 the tube 7 for the purpose of extracting or removing hairs, as will be presently described.

The shaft or rod 14 is provided intermediate its ends with an elongated slot 18 through which a pin 19 extends, the pin 19 also extending through openings 20 and 21 in the plucker tube 7 and having its ends anchored in opening 22 and 23 in the follower holder 11. The plucker tube '7 as well as the follower holder 11 are thus rotatable by the shaft or rod 14, and, at the same time, due to the provision of the slot 18, the plucker tube 7 is longitudinally movable relatively to the shaft or rod 14.

Secured to the shaft or rod 14, as by means of a pin 24, is a thrust collar or bearing 25, preferably made of bronze, and functioning as a thrust bearing for the forward end of the bearing 1.

There is also interposed between the collar 25 and the rear end of the plucker tube 7 a compression coil spring 26 which resiliently biases the follower holder 11 towards the bearing washer 10, and thereby maintains the ball 12 against the rear face of said washer.

The shaft or rod 14 is adapted to be driven by a driver assembly, which consists of a steel bushing 27 which is rigidly secured in the handle 3 by means of circumferentially-spaced dimples 28 (see FIG. 2) formed in the handle 3 and extending into an annular recess 29 in the bushing 27, a stem 30 journalled for rotation in the bushing 27 and having flattened ends 31 and 32, and bronze thrust bearings 33 and 34 which are press-fitted to the stem 30 at opposite ends of the bushing 27. The end 31 of the stem 30 extends into a recess 35 in the rear end of the shaft or rod 14.

The operation or use of the device will be readily apparent from the foregoing description, but may be briefly described as follows:

The end 32 of the stem 30 is connected to a source of motive power, which may be a flexible shaft of a motor driven machine or the like, to cause rotation of the stem.

The stem, in turn, causes the shaft or rod 14 and the plucker tube 7 to be rotated simultaneously at a relatively high speed.

As the plucker tube is rotated, it is retracted during each revolution against the action of the spring 26, due to the action of the bearing washer 10 against the hearing ball 12, thereby permitting the hair to enter the space between the radial face 16 of the tweezer head 15 and the forward end 17 of the tube 7. When the action of the bearing washer against the bearing ball 12 is relieved, that is to say, when the tube 7 has been rotated degrees, the spring 26 forces the forward end 17 of the tube 7 towards the radial face 16 of the tweezer head, thereby causing the hair which has entered the space between these parts to be seized and plucked from the skin.

Periodically, the tube 7 may be manually retracted by pulling the collar 9 rearwardly, to permit the space between the surfaces 16 and 17 to be cleaned of hair and dermal debris, as by means of a cloth or towel, and without interruption of the rotation of the tweezer head and plucker tube.

Due to the use of Teflon for the bearing 1 and bearing or cam member 5, it not only becomes possible to provide a complete seal for all of the enclosed mechanism against entry of dust or foreign matter, but also enables the rotating parts to run at high speed and without becoming heated or worn, or requiring any kind of lubrication. This freedom from lubrication is extremely important in a device of the character described, which is used on the human body.

Due to the pressure of the spring 26, the bearing ball 12 constantly maintains the bearing washer 10 against the inclined face 6 of the cam member 5, in the manner shown in FIG. 1. At the same time, the friction between the ball 12 and the washer 10 is sufficient to cause the washer 10 to be intermittently rotated about its own axis, to thereby constantly present a new area to the action of the ball 12. This distributes the wear uniformly about the washer 10. The ball 12 is also free to rotate in its socket 13, so that the Wear of the ball is also uniformly distributed over its entire area.

The device, consisting, as it does, of a minimum number of easily assembled parts of relatively simple construction, can be manufactured and assembled and sold at low cost, and the general construction is such as to enable certain of the parts and assemblie to be easily replaced, when necessary.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of parts thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a tubular bearing of plastic material, a tubular housing rigidly secured to said bearing, a tubular handle rigidly secured to said bearing in axially-spaced relation to said housing, said bearing having means formed integnally therewith and extending into the space between said housing and handle and maintaining the housing and handle out of contact with each other, a shaft rotatable at high speed in said bearing and in direct contact with said bearing, a second tubular bearing of plastic material removably secured in the forward end of said housing, a plucker tube rotatable in said second bearing at high speed and in direct contact with said second bearing, a thrust collar secured to said shaft, a follower holder disposed within said housing rearwardly of said second bearing and secured to said plucker tube, means connecting said shaft with said plucker tube and follower holder to cause the rotation of said shaft to be imparted to said plucker tube and follower holder, a compression coil spring interposed between said thrust collar and the rear end of said plucker tube, and a tweezer head secured to said rotatable shaft and extending beyond the end of said plucker tube, said head coacting with said plucker tube to extract hair.

2. A device, as defined in claim 1, in which said second tubular hearing has an inclined rear surface, a metallic Washer is provided which is disposed against said rear surface but is loosely fitted on said plucker tube, said follower holder having a spherical socket in its forward end, and a bearing ball mounted in said socket and adapted to coact with said washer.

3. A device, as defined in claim 2, in which said shaft extends through said plucker tube.

4. A device, as defined in claim 3, in which said shaft is provided with an elongated slot, and said means connecting the shaft with the plucker tube and follower holder comprises a pin mounted in said follower holder and extending through said plucker tube and slot.

5. A device, as defined in claim 4, including a collar rigidly secured to said plucker tube in advance of said second bearing and adapted to be retracted to thereby retract said plucker tube against the action of said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 450,682 Richmond Apr. 21, 1891 849,208 Crawford Apr. 2, 1907 2,400,227 Fichner May 14, 1946 2,413,576 Orner Dec. 31, 1946 2,497,719 Fichner Feb. 14, 1950 2,724,945 McGhee Nov. 29, 1955 2,964,341 Doyle Dec. 13, 1960 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, A TUBULAR BEARING OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, A TUBULAR HOUSING RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID BEARING, A TUBULAR HANDLE RIGIDLY SECURED TO SAID BEARING IN AXIALLY-SPACED RELATION TO SAID HOUSING, SAID BEARING HAVING MEANS FORMED INTEGRALLY THEREWITH AND EXTENDING INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID HOUSING AND HANDLE AND MAINTAINING THE HOUSING AND HANDLE OUT OF CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER, A SHAFT ROTATABLE AT HIGH SPEED IN SAID BEARING AND IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH SAID BEARING, A SECOND TUBULAR BEARING OF PLASTIC MATERIAL REMOVABLY SECURED IN THE FORWARD END OF SAID HOUSING, A PLUCKER TUBE ROTATABLE IN SAID SECOND BEARING AT HIGH SPEED AND IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH SAID SECOND BEARING, A THRUST COLLAR SECURED TO SAID SHAFT, A FOLLOWER HOLDER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOUSING REARWARDLY OF SAID SECOND BEARING AND SECURED TO SAID PLUCKER TUBE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID SHAFT WITH SAID PLUCKER TUBE AND FOLLOWER HOLDER TO CAUSE THE ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT TO BE IMPARTED TO SAID PLUCKER TUBE AND FOLLOWER HOLDER, A COMPRESSION COIL SPRING INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID THRUST COLLAR AND THE REAR END OF SAID PLUCKER TUBE, AND A TWEEZER HEAD SECURED TO SAID ROTATABLE SHAFT AND EXTENDING BEYOND THE END OF SAID PLUCKER TUBE, SAID HEAD COACTING WITH SAID PLUCKER TUBE TO EXTRACT HAIR. 